INCREASING CITIZEN PARTICIPATION IN NIGER DELTA DEVELOPMENT By Otive Igbuzor, PhD E-mail: otiveigbuzor@yahoo.co.uk Website: www.otiveigbuzor.com

AIM OF PRESENTATION To underscore the importance of citizen involvement in the process of building inclusive growth in the Niger Delta. To describe the approaches that citizens and civil society can utilise for effective engagement of government Make suggestions for development of the Niger Delta

OUTLINE OF PRESENTATION Introduction The imperative of citizen engagement Approaches for Effective Citizen and CS Engagement Changing the Narrative in the Niger Delta region Conclusion

1. INTRODUCTION The Niger Delta occupies a special place in the political economy of Nigeria. The current economic recession is partly as a result of fail in the price of oil and reduced output as arising from militancy in the Niger Delta region. The Niger Delta slipped into crisis as a result of oil and gas related issues.

…INTRODUCTION The crisis in the Niger Delta manifested in Destruction of the environment, crisis of governance, infrastructural crisis, security crisis and human suffering. The response to the crisis: legal response, military response, project and agency response and dialogue/amnesty. Mismanagement of the amnesty programme in four respects: Politicisation of participants Lack of visible programme for non-violent youth Poor management of re-integration Failure to address the root causes of the crisis (Perceived injustice, poverty and rebellion)

2. THE IMPERATIVE OF CITIZEN PARTICIPATION It is well recognised today that the development of any society is a shared responsibility. Citizens and their organisations have great roles to play in development. This is particularly important in the Niger Delta where there is a perception that the leadership of the region is directed from outside the region.

…THE IMPERATIVE OF CITIZEN PARTICIPATION The SDGs recognize the need for partnership of governments, people living in poverty, persons with disabilities, women, civil society, indigenous and local communities, traditionally marginalized groups, multi-level institutions, local and national governments, the business community, academia and private philanthropy. Democracy is hollow without citizen participation People centred and bottom up approach is the best way to ensure environmental sustainability.

..Imperative of Citizen Participation in the Niger Delta Communities that have oil are poorer than communities without oil (UNDP, 2006). Social exclusion of the Niger Delta as a region relative to the rest of the country and the social exclusion of specified groups (women and youth), individuals and communities with the Delta(UNDP, 2006).

3. APPROACHES FOR EFFECTIVE CITIZEN ENGAGEMENT EXTERNAL Key Obsatcles to Citizens and CSOs Potential Solutions for Effective Engagement Adverse political context constrain Citizen engagement Lobby, Advocacy and Campaigns (Politically smart) Working via external partners Pilot project- to develop and test operational solutions to inform and improve policy implementation

…Approaches for effective Citizen Engagement INTERNAL Key Obstacles to citizens and CSOs Potential solutions to effective engagement Limited understanding of specific policy processes, institutions and actors Conduct rigorous context assessment and PEA Weak strategies for engagement Identify critical stages e.g. budgetary process, constitution making, law making, policy process Inadequate use of evidence Ensure that evident is relevant, objective, generalizable and practical Weak communication approaches Engage in two-way communication Working in isolated manner Apply network approaches Limited capacity for constructive engagement and influence Engage in systematic capacity building Source: Adapted from Policy Engagement: How Civil Society can become more effective by ODI

4. CHANGING THE NARRATIVE IN THE NIGER DELTA REGION Promote citizen engagement and build alternative leadership for a new re-imagined region. (Who speaks for the region?) Improve the leadership selection process: the region should decide and choose its leaders. Re-orientation of leaders and citizens Build the regional integration process (BRACED Commission): Learn from DWAN Commission.

…CHANGING THE NARRATIVE IN THE NIGER DELTA REGION Stop the Pollution and Clean up the entire Niger Delta. Implement a Marshal plan for the development of the Niger Delta Implement a comprehensive conflict transformation programme with the five critical factors for sustainable peace: Justice Just and accountable governance Protection of Human Rights Equitable distribution of resources Peace and Security Education/Culture of peace.

5. CONCLUSION The Niger Delta occupies a special place in the political economy of Nigeria. The region has slipped into crisis as a result of oil and gas related issues. There is the need to promote citizen engagement and build a new leadership to change the narrative of region.

THANK YOU